The woman with short, red hair entered the warren, noticing a vast ammount
of activity.  She had noticed the Dragons scanning the skies from when she
was still a few miles away from Keldarra.  She had seen dragons before,
but never been to a warren.  The thought unsettled her, but she knew her
mission.  

As she came upon a young man, he loked at her suspiciously.

"Strange," she thought, "I haven't been here long enough for suspicion."

"Excuse me, sir," she said, "I'm looking for a friend I had heard was a
Dragonrider.  He's about my height, with long red hair."

"Do you mean Michel?"  The man asked.

She nodded.

"He's currently...on patrol.  If you'd like to hang around, I can probably
find someone to show you the sights."

"That would be great," she said, and smiled.  The man walked over to a
group, and started talking.  A few moments later...

"A member of the Guild of Swords?"  She thought to herself, "They aren't
taking chances."

"Ma'am, I'd be more than happy to show you around the Warren, until Michel
is done."

"Thank you, Sir."



**************************************************************************

Dead.  Lori and Wyndelie.

And the baby.

Michel felt the tears well up, but he couldn't cry them.  HE wanted to,
his chest hitched a few times, but other than that, he took the news with
only a slight wobble to his stance.

Hedda and D'Neor stared, tried to offer what comfort they could, tho
Michel suspected in D'Neor's case it was more for benefit of Michel than
actual feeling of sorrow for the fate that had befallen his former mate.

Michel nodded, his eyes looking haggard.

"Thank you for coming, and informing me," he managed.

They nodded.

"If you need anything Michel, please, let either of us know," Hedda
stated.  

Michel thanked them, as he saw them out, then lay on the rock of his
Apartment and fell into an exhausted sleep.



***************************************************************************

"So, is all going according to plan?"  The clean shaven man asked.

"Yes.  Theingredients int he stew were most...unsettling"

"Good, Good...just how things should be going.  You are a fine help...It
was quite lucky we stumbled upone each other when we did.  I, still
parched at the time from the wastes, and you, having just gone thru YOUR
little problems.  We are a perfect pair."

"I'm still not sure about this.."  The woman stated.

"Of course not, my dear...but just think of what it would be like to be so
adored by the warren, so highly placed.  And thent hink of what would
happen if the Warren knew true of you.  The way I see it, we need each
other to survive..."

"Tho," Malk thought to himself, "Maybe not TOO long."


*****************************************************************************


Michel woke early, cold..very cold.  He rubbed his arms to make the
feeling come back in them.

"Was it a dream, Paranth?"

*No, Michel, I'm afraid not*

Michel walked over, and grabbed the oils for his Dragon.

"How long since I've oiled you?"

*Not TOO long...but, long enough..Oh, that's the spot...*

"I'm sorry..i feel like I've been neglecting too much.  You especially."

*Michel, a Dragon on the green says you have a female visitor*

"Have her fly up."

*This visitor is unjoined*

Michel paused.

"Ok, pal..let's go down and see who it is."

Michel climbed onto Paranth's back, and they glided down to the Green.  As
he vaulted off Paranth, he noticed the guild member.  As he looked in
front of the Guild member, Michel lost himself in time.



      "We have to promise, to help each other at all times,"
       Michel heard himself say to the 7 of them.  Shauri nodded
       in agreement.  "Yeah...we are the only ones who will look
       out for Us.  And, it's easier for us to band together in
       order to do that."  All 9, Damon, Marcus, Carie, Michel,
       Shauri, Celeste, Bryan, Manyani, and Randall, all banded together
       for mutual protection from the Real Thieve's Guild.

How long ago had that been?  Michel was pretty certain most of them had
been about 15 at the time, Carie and Damon younger than that even.

"Shauri?  What brings you to Keldarra?"  Michel started to smile, but was
having a hard time of it.

"Same thing that brought Marcus out to Marrid to visit your sister.  Who'd
have thought two of the craziest ragscallions would end up bonded to
Dragons."  Her tone Sobered.

"Damon and Manyani were killed.  Not even in the act kind of thing.  There
were hunted down, tortured and Killed.  The rest of us decided it might be
a good idea to warn you and Carie about the situation."

Michel closed his eyes.  Damon had been younger than his Sister, and
Manyani is...was, one of Shauri's closest friend's and Confidants.  Word
was the two girls had once pilfered quite a sum of money from a Noble.

"Right, I'm heading out with you.  As soon as I clear it with the Warren."

Shauri smiled.  "Thanks, Michel...you always did have a more analytical
mind toward things."

"Paranth, lease contact the Warrenlad....Warrenlord, and the Dragonlady.
Tell them we need to speak to them about requesting a Leave of Abscence
from Keldarra fora  short period of time."


Michel and Paranth
  AKA Chris Canary


NRPG:  Anyone who is also with DL-R, please forward this to that group..I
don't remember tyhe listing anymore.

Lots of time has gone into this post..I started at work, and it's now
3:00, I think I've been owrking on it for a few hours..but, then again, I
got caught up in reading the Archives...

For the Malk Story..*EG*  If that could please be simmering til Michel
gets back, I'd greatly appreciate, but, if someone else has an idea..go
for it...just lemme know so I can plan accordingly (Or, is that
accordioningly?)  Anyways, have fun, and write ya's soon.



Christopher Canary *Per@Indy.Net* (Per, Michel, Reece, Espeth, Carie 
Milak, Malk Bromitz) Aspiring Actor (Please, Yell), President of 
P.U.R.P.L.E. and General Happy Guy.  Got a comment?  Write me.